Combined container and toy



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S. P. MIDOU HAS COMBINED CONTAINER AND TOY Filed March 9, 1950 if@ /a IN VEN TOR.

f @4% g SQA Patented Oct. A16, 1951 UNITED ySTATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED CONTAINER AND TOY Stephen P. Midouhas, Bristol, Pa.

Application March 9, 1950, Serial No. 148,530

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to toys in general and in particular to a novel toy which may be utilized as a ventriloquists dummy.

Ventriloquism, an entertaining art, although old, is exceedingly popular and is performed by the entertainer speaking without noticeably moving his lips. A dummy usually representative of a person, is manipulated to create the impression to the audience that the sounds spoken by the entertainer are being said by the dummy.

Professional ventriloquists employ dummies that are life-like and complex in operation and which are expensive to produce. The cost of manufacturing dummies with movable lips prohibits the general sale thereof as toys for children. Obviously children are attracted to this art especially to the dummies utilized therein, but due to the unavailability thereof, can not participate. The invention hereinafter disclosed in detail, is directed toward this end and has for an important object therefor, the provision of means lwhereby an extremely inexpensive dummy may be produced.

Another object provides for a ventriloquists dummy arranged to be constructed from a cereal container or the like.

A further `object resides in the provision of a rectangular container having the upper portion of a dummys face imprinted on one side thereof and the lower portion of the face imprinted on the opposite container side.

Still another obj ect provides for means whereby the container may be sectioned through three sides thereof and folded to bring both portions of the face together, the remaining un-cut side providing a pivot upon which the face portions may be moved one relative to the other.

And another object provides for container gripping means whereby the portions of the face may be manipulated to simulate moving of the lips of the face imprinted thereon.

Other ancillary objects will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in the light of the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the container prior to the cutting thereof.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the container after the cutting and folding thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the container partially opened.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the container partially opened.

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a folded container showing the ear cut-outs thereon.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational View of the embodiment shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1 the novel invention is vapplied to a container I0 of rectangular shape having 'sides II, I2 and I3, sho-wn and opposite therefrom sides I4, I5 and I6. Imprinted on side I2 is indicia representative of the upper portions of a face having the upper lip II thereof terminating on the edge 26 formed by the sides I I and I2. On the upper half of side I3, Fig. 4, a profile View of the upper portion of a face is imprinted thereon which is congruous to the indicia on side I2. VThe lower half of side I3 has the lower portion of the proled face imprinted thereon. Analogously, side I4 has indicia imprinted thereon representative of the profiled face as viewed from theopposite direction to that of side I3.

The side I6 of the container I0 is imprinted with the remaining lower portion of the full-face with the lower lip 2l thereof adjacent' the edge 22 formed by sides I6 and II respectively.`

The sides II and I5 are blank or may have operating directions printed thereon, or perhaps advertising matter. The only necessary markings being a line 23 or the like for indicating the sides to be cut and the side to be folded.

The container IIJ may have contents therein such as a breakfast cereal and the cutting line 23 will guide a person opening the said container. After being emptied, the container may be folded on line 24 centrally positioned on side II thus bringing the two sides I2 and I6 together as shown in Fig. 2. It is readily apparent therefrom that the two portions of the face combine to produce a full face. Likewise the two portions of both half-profile views combine to producel a complete facial profile.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, a hand 25 of theperson practicing ventriloquism is inserted in the open ends of the container with the fingers 26 being placed in the upper opening and the thumb 2'I being placed in the lo'wer opening. The subsequent pressing of the thumb 2'I toward the nngers 26 results in the face animating the movement of a persons lips and jaw while speaking.

An alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 wherein the face depicted thereon hasexaggerated lips. The upper and lower lips being positioned on one combined side of the respective upper and lower halves of the folded receptable and extending fully between the adjacent sides thereof. In this embodiment, the manipulation of the pivoted halves produces the impression of the lips moving.

A further inovation is also shown in Fig. 6, wherein a dotted line 3D is imprinted on the profile-bearing sides 3| of the container 32 in the outline of ears 33. The lines 30 may be cut by suitable means and the ears 33 formed thereby bent outwardly as shown in Fig. 5.

Thus, it is apparent that the relatively inexpensive toy simulates a ventriloquists dummy.

While two forms or embodiments of the inven tion have been shown and described herein for illustrative purposes, and the construction and arrangement incidental to two specific applications thereof have been disclosed and discussed in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is limited neither to the mere details or relative arrangement of parts, nor to its specific embodiments shown herein, but that extensive deviations from the illustrated forms or embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the principles thereof.

In which I claim:

1. An article of the character described adapted to simulate a ventriloquist dummy, comprising a container having plural side walls, some of said side walls having indicia imprinted thereon representative of the upper half of a face, other of said side walls having indicia imprinted thereon representative of the lower half of a face, guide indicia imprinted on the remaining side walls, means for aligning the side walls having the upper half of a face thereon with the side walls having the lower half of a face thereon to produce a complete face, the lower lip being adjacent the upper lip relative to the respective side walls, and said latter side walls arranged to be manually moved away from the adjacent relationship and returned thereto.

2. An article of the character described adapted to simulate a ventriloquist dummy comprising a container having plural side walls, a portion of a face imprinted on one of said side walls, a second portion of a face imprinted on a second side wall, fold guiding indicia imprinted on another of said side walls, knife-guiding indicia imprinted on the remaininig side Walls, profile-facial indicia imprinted on some of the latter side walls including cut-out indicia substantially in the form of the ears thereon, said ears arranged to be folded out-- wardly and said container arranged to be severed on said knife-guide indicia and folded to bring the facial indicia bearing sides adjacent one to the other whereby the face portions thereon combine to produce a complete face.

3; A toy of the character described adapted to simulate a ventriloquist dummy comprising a generally rectangular container provided with plural side walls and upper and lower walls, indicia representative of the upper section of a face imprinted on the upper wall and terminating, along the lower edge of such face section, below the upper lip of the face, and indicia representative of the lower half of said face imprinted on the lower wall, whereby when all of the side walls but one have been severed horizontally midway between the upper and lower walls and the remaining side wall has been folded along a line forming a continuance of the lines of severance, the two portions of the face may be moved toward and away from each other to simulate movement of the lips.

l Number 4. A toy of the character described adapted to simulate a ventriloquist dummy comprising a generally rectangular container provided with plural side walls and upper and lower walls, guide indicia indicating a horizontal line of severance along three adjacent side walls substantially midway between the upper and lower walls, indicia representative of the upper section of a face imprinted on the upper wall and terminating along the lower edge of such face section immediately below the upper lip of the face, and indicia representative of the lower half of said face imprinted on the lower Wall, whereby when said three side walls have been severed along said horizontal line and the remaining side wall has been folded along a line forming a continuance of the line of severance, the two portions of the face may be moved toward and away from each other to simulate movement of the lips.

5. A toy of the character described adapted to simulate a ventriloquist dummy comprising a generally rectangular container provided with plural side walls and upper and lower walls, indicia representative of the upper section of a face imprinted on the upper wall and also on the upper section of an adjacent side wall and terminating along the lower edges of such face sections, below the upper lip of the faces, and indicia representative of the lower half of a face imprinted on the lower wall and also on the lower section oi an adjacent side wall, whereby when all of the side walls but one have been severed horizontally midway between the upper and lower walls and the remaining side wall has been folded along a line forming a continuance of the cut lines, the two portions of the faces may be moved toward and away from each other to simulate movement of the lips.

6. A toy of the character described adapted to simulate a ventriloquist dummy comprising a generally rectangular container provided with plural side Walls and upper and lower walls, indicia representative of the upper section of a face imprinted on the upper section of a side wall and terminating along the lower edge of such face section immediately below the upper lip of the face, an indicia representative of the lower half of said face imprinted on the lower section of said side wall whereby when all of the side walls but one have been severed horizontally midway between the upper and lower wallsv and the remaining side wall has been folded along a line forming a continuance of the line of severance, the two portions of the face may be moved toward and away from each other to simulate movement of the lips.

STEPHEN P. MIDOUHAS.

REFERENCES CITED rihe following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 153,094 Libby July 14, 1874 2,146,420 Davidson Feb. 7, 1939 

